Ten Bikes For Short People

1. Ducati Monster 696

Ducati’s iconic Monster has endeared itself to riders worldwide because it’s an easy motorcycle to ride and boasts lovely Italian style. The Monster 696 and its 30.3-inch seat height bring the Ducati experience closer to the ground. Combine this with a tidy and compact overall package, and riders of shorter stature will find themselves naturally gravitating towards it.

We’re fans of its friendly 90-degree air-cooled L-Twin, though those wanting more oomph may opt for the 796 or 1100 variants. Regardless, we think the 696 provides ample power, while the light clutch and capable chassis provide loads of fun, no matter your stature.

Suggested Readings

What’s funny is that the last time I was shopping for a bike, I kept thinking, “Why the #&$@ are all these bikes built for short people?!” I’m 6’2″.

I guess it’s all a matter of perspective…

james lagnese

I feel the same way. The only bikes that aren’t are the adventure touring bikes like the R1200GSA. It’s kind of limiting. I bet it’s easier to find a comfortable ride for a short person than the other way around. May be the real reason for lower and more accommodating bikes is to appeal to women who make up over 50% of the population.

Jason Stone

Yep. I ended up with a Street Triple R, and my legs are pretty tightly folded. I deal with it, though, because it’s so much freaking fun to ride.

I look forward to the followup to this article: 10 Bikes for Tall People

james lagnese

I just can’t do that anymore. With bad knees and after having my neck fused, I want something I can stretch out on, My RT is like a sportbike for me. I can’t imagine anything smaller/tighter.

Russ_T

Exactly. I have a 34″ inseam. The bike that fit me best was my old Magna V65. Haven’t ridden anything as comfortable. And I’m not gonna buy an adventure bike, which I’ll never take off road.

Maybe with some modified pegs, the new CB1100 will work…

So, MO, how about another article: Top ten mods for tall people?

Kevin Duke

In the works! But, as you note, adventure bikes are likely choices…

james lagnese

May be there should be an article for tall people too and I mean 6’2 and taller.

Joshua Barker

I just put subframe spacers in my Buell to jack the seat height up about 2.5″. Now its much more aggressive looking and it didn’t affect my suspension geometry.

One Eye

You folks have something against Hyosung ?

Craig Hoffman

I have an FZ1 and it is a little cramped for my 33″ inseam. Mounted a crash cage to it with some highway pegs. Since I am middle aged, I could care less what it looks like or what others think. With 145 at the wheel and the comfy pegs, it works for me.

adouglas

Actually the GSX-Rs are quite manageable for shorter folks. I have a 30 inch inseam and ride a 2011 GSX-R750. I can get both heels down if I want to. It’s the only sportbike out there on which this is possible for me. The key is that the seat is narrow up front.

@jason stone — yes, it’s a matter of perspective. Try this: Put three or four phone books on the seat of your ride… enough so that you can’t get a foot fully on the ground — and try backing your bike up. Better still, try to keep from dropping the bike when you come to a stop and step on some gravel. Feel our pain!

Taylor Adams

This review is so old but still comes up so here’s my 2 cents. This guy nails it on the head. The bike could be 5 ft in the air and I’d still be able to jump on it and ride off into the sunset..**BUT** it’s incredibly aggravating and even creates issues when you can’t plant your feet on the ground to backup your bike or try to walk the bike a few feet if it doesn’t run between extremely tight spaces where you can’t push it from the side. It is true – Suzuki has listened and delivered the best seat/subframe shape for the shorter rider. I’m 5’5 about 120 and no other 600 (Honda/Kawasaki/Yamaha) comes close to fit and confidence I get when I put a leg over a gsxr600/750/1000. Their 31.9 really does feel feel worlds slimmer.

thm4855

the Honda Fury
looks like a customiced Harley.
ThM – Norway

Mark Vizcarra

Just because the seat height is low doesn’t mean that you can securely flatfoot. Keep in mind that the width of the seat also plays a factor too. Even though Harleys have low seat heights they have wide ass seats that splay your legs out.

lwe6576

Yep. They had the Nightster that had a narrow seat and was low and stopped making it. Now there is no bike out there that I can ride. Sold my Nightster because I’d broken my shoulder. Now I ride a Spyder F3.

It’s not necessary to get a heel on the ground, much less two. The best motorcyclists in the world are often diminutive.

adouglas

True. But if all you can do is put your toes down the bike is much harder to live with and you’re far more likely to drop it. Yes it can be done. Doesn’t mean it’s fun or preferable in any way. Look, you can wear shoes five sizes to big. It will work. It’s not the best option, though.

Naysayers who have not experienced this should really try to use a too-tall bike on a daily basis in the real world where sand, gravel, inclines and such are common.

If you haven’t experienced trying to walk a 400+ lb machine up even the slightest incline using only your toes you cannot possibly know what it’s like. Get off? Sure. Pain in the butt if you have to do it every single time you want to move the bike. Seriously… go put some padding on your saddle and find out for yourself.

I only mentioned getting my heels down to show how short person-friendly the GSXR really is despite its listed seat height.

overloadinco

I would fault about half these bike as being HORRIBLE for short riders. Not for the seat height, but the reach to the pegs or floorboards. I doubt a short person could reach the pegs on the Honda Fury, the HD Fatboy low, the Triumph America, or Star V-Star 1300 Deluxe. I’ve heard the reach to the pegs on the Honda CTX700 is OK, but Cycle-egro says no.

That’s HALF the bikes listed. I’d add the Ducati Diavel to the list of OK for short riders.

Kyle G.

I’m 5’6″ and I’ve ridden a Diavel, and the thing absolutely grinds your man-jewels into powder with how sculpted the seat and tank are.

Susan

I completely agree with overloadinco. I don’t understand why they put the pegs and clutch so far forward. I’ve sat on quite a few of these in my endless search for a bike and can barely reach the clutch. I don’t know what these companies are thinking. If you are short enough to need the seat that low then then you need the pegs closer!

Dale

I agree also about needing the pegs closer. I have a 30 inch inseam. What have you found so far that meets your requirements?

K_2K

I’m 5’6″ and got the CTX700 about 4 months ago. It’s very comfortable with elbows and knees only slightly bent on the pegs. I’d guess a couple inches shorter would be ok, but you really should try each out at a dealer first. With both feet flat I can lift off the seat. Some of the others listed here are a waste of time to try to fit into them.

Andy warhol

Old school Ducati Monster FTW

Dale

I agree!

Russell

I can’t believe the Victory Ness Vision didn’t make the top 10 with a seat height of only 24.5 inches it is lower than all 10 bikes in this article as well as foot controls that can be set in 3 positions…

di0genes

Short weight lifters

Joshua Barker

The main problem with most of these truly low (below 26″ bikes) is that the 5″ish person still has to deal with a very wide seat, which, if you did trim/slim it down, would simply reveal frame or something else uncomfortable to put your legs around. I’m currently in Japan, and even though there are sub-400cc displacement bikes a plenty, the only thing my 5″ wife can straddle comfortably is a scooter. Problem then becomes that even a 250cc scooter, though very fun and plenty of power in Japan where you’re lucky to see the mid 50’s in mph (80kph highways), just doesn’t have the punch to deal with the 80mph traffic in the states. Otherwise, I’d have one myself just for the fun of them… they also sound fantastic going down the road when someones got a glass-packed muffler.

John Cordier

Maybe we need a list of top 10 bikes for those of us who are .. um.. portly. Australians.. like our American pals.. are becoming larger. 200lb & more is becoming the norm. So many of todays bikes have small thin seats and low handlebars. These are not so good for us fatties. Maybe that’s why the adventure market is so big.

MNConservatarian

Low saddles are only one issue, reaching the forward mounted controls are difficult. My ’06 Dyna Super Glide has mid controls, but frankly I’m tired of low and slow. I want something like an FZ that I can lower and still rev the heck out of.

They Harley is the only one that can even be CONSIDERED low. Low starts at 26 inches and below…c’mon get real motorcycle.com.

Brittsdad

You forgot the 14 Harley Davidson FXDL built for rider 5’1 to 6’1

Wayne Swasey

The Harley softail slim has the lowest seat height at 23 something.

Ddhcts Skinner

The Sym 150 wolf is a good bike for short beginners.

Michelle

The Honda Fury is NOT for short riders. Sure the seat is low, but the foot controls are too far forward to be comfortable for a short rider. I have a 29″ inseam and I can just barely reach the foot controls. That’s not a safe or comfortable posture for riding.

Judas_the_Priest

My wife wants a bike so bad, she’s 5’1″. But, she doesn’t want a cruiser, which are the only bikes she can sit on, although, she does complain about the width of the seats which makes it hard to put her feet down comfortably. She wants a sport bike with a decent sized engine, doesn’t want a 300, wants at least a 600. I’ve pointed her to the Speed Twin, but she wants sportier. She complains about this same issue on dirt bikes too. She rides a 140, but wants more power. Why can’t they make a 200 or 250 trail bike in a smaller frame. I know, suspension will be lost, but..
If the manufacturers made big boy bikes (not cruisers) in smaller packages for shorter people, they’d make a killing. The market is there.

Alan Ferguson

try the new Kawi 650R.

Katie Halliwell

I’m 5′ 3″ and ride a z1000sx – my husband put a lowering kit on for me, and I put adjustable levers on so I could reach the clutch. I don’t think there are many bikes that us dinky folk can’t ride, they just a bit of TLC to get them safe and comfortable 👍

I bet motorcycle.com just looked at seat heights and called it a day. If they were thorough, they would have accomplied some short riders to various dealerships to see if they can reach the floor and the pegs/foot controls comfortably.

GodWhomIsMike

I got my eye on the Harley Davisonson SuperLow 1200T, just which it had blacked out engine and exhaust bits instead of 15 miles worth of chrome. Also looking at the Indian Scout Sixty with tan seat/bags and a windscreen.
I do like the Yamaha Deluxe 1300, but I have a 28″ inseam and only 5’4″. So I worry that bike is a mile wide and foot controls too far forward.

Brianlee Kirk

a good mechanic can lower most motorcycles inexpensively.

Katie Halliwell

60 quid for a lowering kit for my z1000sx – I’m 5′ 3″ and can now get my feet almost flat!

CSensation

Being 5’4″, with a 27″ inseam, the Ninja isn’t great for short people. I like the new Honda Rebel 300 and 500 myself!

AdamB

What a poorly written bit of clickbait. Useless written by somebody who spent 10 minutes looking at a few specs on a couple of bikes with no real research done. No substance to this article and no helpful information. What a bunch of rubbish.

K_2K

If they had put their idea of the dirt-bike first with the line “Beggars can’t be choosers” I would have avoided reading the rest.
If you insist on thinking of everyone below 5’10” or above 6’2″ as a beggar, then you have no opinion they care to hear.

Cheryl Moore

This article offends me. My inseam is 28 inches, and most of these bikes I couldn’t securely flatfoot because people seem to forget to take into consideration seat width. The one bike I’ve actually tried and might consider isn’t even listed (Yamaha Bolt) and it lists as having a 27.2 inch seat height.

Valerie Dawber Cloud

I’m 5 feet even, and I have a 2005 Suzuki Boulevard S40. I can flat foot it, it’s light, and very easy to handle. I absolutely love my bike. However, I’m looking for a sport bike, and having trouble finding one I’d feel comfortable with. Grrr…sometimes hate being short.

Cheryl Moore

I actually own a 2003 Suzuki Savage 650 (pretty much the same bike as yours), and I love it. I’m not looking for a sport bike, thank goodness, but I do want to know what my options are when/if I get a new bike. I’m just afraid I’m not going to be able to keep up with the hubby on his Honda VTX1300, as he likes to take long trips. I’ve checked out the Yamaha Bolt (942cc) at a motorcycle show recently, and I like it. It lists as a 27.2″ seat height, but I had no trouble flat-footing it and reaching the foot controls.

Sukanya Nath

I am just…5…not able to think of anything…so suggest me some good bike…

Most competent riders do not feel the need to ‘flat foot’. Something between both toes to getting down the balls of both feet is fine for a great many riders, maybe flat foot one side , toe on the other. Focusing on the need to flat foot will preclude many good bikes for you and may also hinder your development as a rider. For the record, I am 5’9″ with a 30″ inseam, about my favorite ride is my KTM 950 ADV, which i can certainly not flatfoot! I know there is the Harley/cruiser crowd that often suggests low seats are so important, except that low seats cuts your low cornering clearance too as well as causing other dysfunctional aspects. Numerous bikes do have a seat that comes to a narrow front end, that detail is not always something you will see until you look at the bike in person.

David Richardson

Honda Shadow seat height is 25.7 inches, lower than anything on this list!

Burton Skiles

I have a 30 in inseam and at 66 I seem to be getting shorter. Been riding since I was 13, and have always been able to adapt to various bikes. Last 4 bikes have been Triumphs; a 96 Tiger, 05 Rocket, 10 Rocket Touring, and now a Scrambler. Feels great to be on a lighter bike again, and age definitely works against you with taller bikes.

Michelle Cleveland

Y’all totally ignored the Motus!

Chris M Clark

Where’s the Indian scout/ victory octane?

Joe Muse

The wife needs a low bike. She has tried a few of the bikes you have here. None worked because even though she could hold the bike up flat footed, she could not reach the pegs or floorboards. Got her a Suzuki S50. Great bike. Still had to lower it for her, but at least she could reach the pegs easily. None of your reviews addressed that problem.
. .

Valerie Dawber Cloud

I’ve got an S40. Love that thing.

Sick of BT Censorship

Any foot forward bike is horrible to ride if you are short because its a stretch to reach the bars on most.
If you can ride, you can ride more or less anything you just slide one cheek of the seat to get your foot down I’m 5′ 6″ never stopped me riding anything the GS 1200 was a bit stretch but handle able.

Sharon L Laferriere

most of those bikes are small in motor just because we are short we still want to keep up with the other bikes. I would go with a victory over any of these bikes listed

michaelt1953

Not to many that aren’t feet forward in that. Sounds like us little people are pretty much f&*%#d. I have a 29″ inseam and am riding a 1″ lowered DL650. Not a serious off roader though.

Philip Meyers

i have an indian scout and not only a great bike for us shorties but a bike that is glued to the road at any speed.

Bad Biker

No matter how low the seat height, short ride cannot reach the forward pegs on the fury and fat boy low , I have tried both as well as a Triumph and could reach ground with no problem but peg are just too far away.

I’m surprised the BMW low suspension R1200 GS Adventure isn’t on here. I have bad legs, due to RA and have trouble throwing them over most seats. The low suspension GS helps me. I’ve owned and ridden a couple. Presently I’m riding a Indian Chief Vintage with a low, heated Corbin seat. It’s fine for my crippled legs. But I could use another inch lower. Shorter shocks might make it perfect.

I am 5’1 I had a 1994 Harley sportster with a brawler seat and café bars pulled back on it and mid controls.. Sat flat foot . Great bike. The newer ones are wider but you can always replace seat. I also removed the 14 in shocks and replaced them with 11 inch progressives. Makes a huge difference in comfort. I’m looking at the monster 696 hoping it can be made low enough with a few adjustments.

Micky Roden

If you’re considering a higher cc bike, look at the Yamaha Raider (1854cc). It is a power cruiser with an aluminum frame to make it light. I lowered mine, but it really didn’t need it.

bigjames

More motorcycle snobbery brought to you by MO. Where are Urals (who cares about seat height when it comes with a sidecar) or Royal Enfield (lower than 30 inches) and a lot cheaper than some of the crap listed here? Man, talk about some poor choices for “short people”. Did you all even look at peg to handle bar measurements? I bet you guys love that old song “Short People” too, don’t you? Plus, when did 30 inches become a low seat? I am 6′ tall and have 29″ legs. +30 inches becomes tip-toe territory for me. I know better, some reading this may not and make a poor choice as a result. Who rides a Fury, the fake custom, or some of the more, uh, fugly mentions here? Y’all trying to sell some loss leaders for folks? Geez MO, get a clue. Get bikes that are REALLY for short people, not just sort of low seat heights. You know, get some short folks and ride some bikes…not just measure seat height and guess.

Navroze Contractor

I have a Monster 795 since three years and suits my 6.5″ perfectly. It IS the best choice.. and does everything I want it to do. Done over 27,000 kilometers with no hiccups so far

K_2K

Yesterday I let someone sit on my CTX700 to see if it was short enough. He could flatfoot OK, but reaching those forward pedals was completely unrealistic for him. Sad to see that as the first offering here for short folks, they obviously did not really watch a short person try it out. Seat height has so little to do with total comfort or handling. 99% or your riding is NOT while touching the ground.

manuel.fraga

come on guys !! I’m 1.56m (5`1 “f) you have not taken into account the width of the bike, nor the distance to the brake pedals and gearshift.They put the Suzuki SV650 and it is the highest of the group (the lowest in that group is kawasaki z650) put harley which is difficult to reach, (the best for short people are the sporter and the street bob) fence a set of nonsense

Stephen Bogert

If you assume the short person is not a beginner and is not into the cruiser thing, or the butt fugly Honda that list gets very short. Look to the past! The Yamaha FJ 1100 and 1200s 1985-1992 were both muscular bikes that were especially popular with shorter guys, Then and more recently, Moto Guzzi had their ‘small block’ models- V 50, V65 and 750 variations late,’70s – present, most of them are lightweight as well as having low seats. Fifty or so HP on a sub 400 lb bike that handles well should be more fun than any heavy steering cruiser (many of which have twice the weight). The Guzzis need only simple service compared to the PITA desmo Ducatis BTW. Back when BMW made the reliable airheads, their R 65 and (R45 in Europe) models were a bit lower than their other models -about 1979-1982?

Steven Green

I have a 5’3″ riding buddy (wife of 40 years) and she absolutely could not fit on any one of the bikes you have listed here. And yes I think that she has sat on them all. Some she could put her feet on the ground but with forward pegs her feet would not reach the controls. With rear set pegs she could not flat foot. Maybe the Harley would work for her but she hates HD’s for some reason. She had a Victory Vegas 8-ball for many years that fit her perfectly as Vic had bars, seats and pegs that were adjustable for different sized riders. Now she has a Kawasaki Vulcan S that is the best fitting bike she has ever had. That too has pegs, bars and seats that all adjust up and down for bigger and smaller riders. BMW has some low kits but even then their bikes are all too tall for her at 5’3″. The Octane and the Scout are good for short folks and plenty of power. I did not see those 3 listed but I guess you had to stop at 10. Someone else mentioned Cycle-Ergo.com a great place to get an idea of how you would fit on a motorcycle you don’t own. A bike that does not fit the rider is no good but slowly builders are starting to figure this out.

Alaskan18724

Just caught this one. Oughta invite Tim Carrithers to do a guest piece on best bikes for unshort people.

Jim L

Or Mike Seate or Sean Alexander or even me.

Alaskan18724

I’m late to the party.

Alaskan18724

What I loved about UJMs. They fit everybody.

Jim L

My first bike was a 1978 KZ1000. I agree.

Jim L

Better late than never.

Dr Why

Where’s the bikes for tall people?
.

DancesOnNazis

Short bikes don’t do corners. If you can get one foot down, you can ride it.

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